- The Marbella branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, chaired by Santiago Gómez-Villares, achieved another success in terms of participation and fundraising, exceeding €250,000. Once again, the proceeds will be used to maintain the services that the association provides free of charge to cancer patients and their families.
- The Gala was the perfect setting to present “The Fighter” Award, designed by David Marshall, to politician Borja Sémper “because his example in the face of the disease has significantly contributed to breaking down stigmas, showing the reality of cancer, and giving hope to those going through a similar situation.”
- During the evening, the largest charity raffle in Spain was held, once again exceeding 300 prizes thanks to the collaboration of more than two hundred companies. At the auction, hosted by presenter and comedian Federico de Juan, bidders could vie for, among other things, a Málaga C.F. experience consisting of a ball signed by the squad, a first-team jersey, and two grandstand tickets for any match in the first half of the season; two Atlético de Madrid jerseys signed by Koke and Lookman, two tickets for a match with a stadium tour, and two Air Europa plane tickets; a Betis jersey signed by the squad and a French national team jersey signed by Mbappé; a Puerto Banús Access Card; a bottle of Salmanazar from Bodegas Cepa 21; a two-night stay in a Junior Suite at Nobu Marbella; a weekend at Higuerón Resort with a private yacht excursion and two green fees at Higuerón Marbella Resort; a two-night stay in a Junior Suite at the Nobu Marrakech Hotel; a Range Rover experience in Sierra Nevada with two nights at the Hotel Lodge Maribel; or a weekend in Budapest in a five-star hotel with flights included, donated by IBCC International Consulting. Among the works of art on display were Pedro Peña’s painting “Pink Composition,” a limited-edition serigraph by Javier Calleja Studio, and John Galliano’s “Robe Arabesque Show” dress.
- Eva Ruiz and Poty Castillo once again hosted the Gala, which featured performances by Efecto Mariposa, international classical singer Olga Filippova, The Vintage Experience, and DJ Kike Supermix. As in previous years, a jewelry box donated by Gómez&Molina Jewelers was raffled off with the purchase of a Gala ticket.
The Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) once again drew over 600 attendees to its traditional Marbella Gala, held at Finca la Concepción. This year’s 41st anniversary celebration made it the oldest AECC gala on the Costa del Sol. In addition to Santiago Gómez-Villares, president of the AECC’s Marbella branch, the association was also represented by Juan Carlos Martín García, president of the Málaga Provincial branch; Dr. Antonio Rueda, president of the AECC’s Málaga Technical Committee; Carmen Litrán, provincial manager; and the gala organizing team, comprised of Setareh Mohregui, vice president of Marbella, and board members María Matías, José Higuera, Francisco Sánchez, Tamara Bastida, and Javier Muñiz.
In his remarks, Santiago Gómez-Villares emphasized the central role given to patients this year, as they are the true reason for holding the Gala Against Cancer. Three of them, Amalia, Sergio, and Pilar, starred in a moving video that showcased their daily lives with the disease and the enormous difficulties cancer patients face. According to Gómez-Villares, “Behind every diagnosis is a person who needs much more than treatment. They need to feel heard, understood, and supported during one of the most difficult times of their life. That is why our work consists of caring for people, always placing the patient and their family at the heart of everything we do. Humanization, closeness, and empathy are integral to our approach to support, because a conversation, a helping hand, or the support of a professional can make a huge difference. Tonight is, above all, a tribute to those who live with the disease and teach us every day an extraordinary capacity for resilience, courage, and hope.”
The president of Marbella also expressed his gratitude to all the people and institutions that make the Gala possible year after year. “Nothing we do would be possible without the commitment of our volunteers, who represent the essence of this Association, nor without the involvement of the collaborating companies, sponsors, and organizations that share our cause. My special thanks to the main sponsor of this Gala, “Tu Primer Hogar” (Your First Home), to the Marbella City Council for its constant support, and to all the attendees who have decided to contribute their solidarity tonight. Thanks to all of them, we can continue supporting patients and their families, funding research, and bringing hope to those who need it most.”
In this year’s edition, ticket sales reached €190,000, a figure that consolidates the Marbella Cancer Gala as the most important charity event in Spain, having raised well over €250,000 in a single night. This year’s ticket sales will be supplemented by the proceeds from the auction, raffle, and the “Row Zero” initiative, which raised an additional €20,000. From these earnings, organizational expenses will be deducted to arrive at the final balance, which will almost certainly exceed that of previous galas. Once again, all profits from this edition will be used to fund research projects—in 2025 alone, the Málaga provincial branch allocated over €810,000 to this purpose—and to support all the programs and services that the Spanish Association Against Cancer provides free of charge to patients and their families in Marbella. Last year, 462 patients and 135 family members received 2,318 free sessions delivered by the association’s professionals.
The Gala Against Cancer also served as the perfect setting to present the fifth annual Fighter Award, which recognizes the contributions of individuals and institutions to normalizing the word “cancer” so that all patients have equal opportunities when facing the disease. This year, the Marbella branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) honored politician Borja Sémper, “because his example in the face of the disease and his personal testimony have significantly contributed to breaking down stigmas, revealing the reality of the illness, and giving hope to those going through a similar situation.”
During the Gala, the Marbella branch once again presented awards to companies that have distinguished themselves over the past year through their commitment and collaboration with the AECC. Special mention was given to the main sponsor, “Tu Primer Hogar” (Your First Home), represented by its president, Francisco Gómez Palma, who highlighted the company’s charitable work in facilitating access to first-time homeownership, especially for young people. In addition, this edition also recognized: Miguel Manzanares Abogados, Aalto Exclusive Design, C de Salamanca, Ark Architects, Facexpert Clinic, Exxacom Smart Living, Dils Lucas Fox, Fernando Moreno, Montero Aramburu & Gómez-Villares Atencia, Fundación La Caixa, Puerto José Banús, Higueron Marbella Resort, Nosso Beach Club, Puente Romano Marbella and Hospital Quironsalud Marbella.
Regarding the event’s organization, the gala dinner benefited from the outstanding collaboration of the Marbella City Council and Finca La Concepción. Derraíz, part of the Gorki group, catered the dinner, while other key players in the cocktail reception included Viña Salceda, Victoria Beer, Lush Blush, Takumi, Primeria Selección, Popi Hams, Moët & Chandon, and La Telera cheeses.
Charitable Personalities
The 40th Marbella Gala Against Cancer was masterfully hosted by Canal Sur presenter Eva Ruiz and Poty Castillo, who once again demonstrated their excellent rapport on stage, bringing energy and good humor to the gala. In addition to raffling off the traditional jewelry box from Gómez & Molina Jewelers, they were responsible for introducing this year’s artists: Grupo Efecto Mariposa, international singer Olga Filippova, The Vintage Experience, and DJ Kike Supermix, who closed the evening’s festivities.
The Marbella Gala once again brought together a large number of philanthropic figures, including politicians, business leaders, artists, and familiar faces from Marbella’s summer scene. Among the politicians were Francisca Caracuel, Vice President of the Provincial Council; Isabel Cintado, Councilor for Social Rights; and Lisandro Vieytes, Councilor for Sports and Health of the Marbella City Council. Also in attendance was Dr. Emilio Alba, researcher and professor of oncology at the University of Málaga. Among the artists and well-known faces were Pasión Vega, José Moro, Risto Mejide, Bernd Schuster, Fernando Sanz, Joaquín Sánchez, Sergio Scariolo, Fiona Ferrer, Estefanía Luyk, Arancha de Benito, Beatriz Jarrín, Óscar Higares, Agustín Bravo, Rappel, and journalists José Manuel Parada and Nacho Abad.
During the evening, Spain’s largest charity raffle took place, offering over 300 prizes thanks to the collaboration of more than two hundred companies, who contributed specifically for the raffle. The auction, hosted by Eva Ruiz and Poty, with the participation of comedian and broadcaster Federico de Juan, and also featuring former footballers Joaquín Sánchez and Bernd Schuster, and businessman José Moro, offered bids for prizes including a Málaga C.F. experience consisting of a ball signed by the squad, a first-team jersey, and two grandstand tickets for any match in the first half of the season. Two Atlético de Madrid jerseys signed by Koke and Lookman, two match tickets with a stadium tour, and two Air Europa plane tickets; a Real Betis jersey signed by the squad and a French national team jersey signed by Mbappé; a Puerto Banús Access Card; a bottle of Salmanazar from Bodegas Cepa 21; a two-night stay in a Junior Suite at Nobu Marbella; a weekend getaway on a private yacht and two green fees at Higuerón Marbella Resort; a two-night stay in a Junior Suite at the Nobu Marrakech Hotel; a Range Rover experience in Sierra Nevada with two nights at the Hotel Lodge Maribel; or a weekend in Budapest at a five-star hotel with flights included, donated by IBCC International Consulting. Among the works of art are the painting “Pink Composition” by Pedro Peña; a limited-edition screen print by Javier Calleja Studio; and the “Robe Arabesque Show” dress by John Galliano.
About the Spanish Association Against Cancer
The Spanish Association Against Cancer has been the leading organization in the fight against cancer for 70 years. It dedicates its efforts to highlighting the reality of cancer in Spain, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing a process of social transformation to address them. Being there for people is at its core, so its work also focuses on helping them prevent cancer; supporting them and their families throughout the entire disease process, should they be diagnosed; and improving their future by promoting cancer research. In this regard, through its Scientific Foundation, the Association consolidates the public demand for cancer research, funding high-quality scientific cancer research programs through competitive grants. The Association promotes the largest cancer research network in Spain, with more than 3,000 researchers distributed across 160 research centers in 38 provinces. Today, it is the private and social organization that allocates the most funds to cancer research: €157 million across 792 projects.
The Association brings together patients, families, volunteers, and professionals who work together to prevent cancer, raise awareness, support those affected, and fund cancer research projects that will lead to better diagnosis and treatment.
In 2025, the Spanish Association Against Cancer provided professional support services to more than 88,000 people.
